Who is Denis Corea Miranda? Illegal Immigrant Smiles in Mugshot After Attacking Federal Officer

A 21-year-old illegal immigrant, Denis Corea Miranda, flashed a wide grin in his arrest photo after allegedly attacking a federal officer in Polk County, Florida, on Tuesday.

According to officials, Miranda fought back when two Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents tried to detain him in Lakeland. During the struggle, one of the officers suffered a serious shoulder injury.

“This is the first time one of our agents has been badly injured in the line of duty,” Sheriff Grady Judd said at a press conference. “Now the state of Florida and taxpayers are the ones who will have to pay for his attorney, his prosecution, and everything else.”

After escaping into a wooded area on foot, Miranda was tracked down through a massive search operation involving helicopters and drones. Authorities eventually caught him near a loading dock.

Sheriff Judd said Miranda did not use a weapon but resisted arrest because he was determined not to be deported.

Records show Miranda first entered the U.S. illegally from Nicaragua, where Border Patrol agents stopped him. Under the federal “catch and release” policy, he was given a court date and released. In 2024, he was also arrested for DUI but failed to appear in court, leaving an outstanding warrant.

Sheriff Judd criticized the immigration system, saying it allowed repeat offenders to remain free. “The system is broken. Had this been handled properly back in 2021, none of this would have happened,” he said.

Miranda now faces charges of resisting arrest and battery on a federal officer. He may serve time in a state prison before facing deportation.

Authorities also linked him to burglary offenses in Polk County. “And when he finishes his sentence here, he’ll be deported,” Judd added.